The Steelers recently extended the contract of their long-time General Manager, Kevin Colbert. Here were his five best draft picks for Pittsburgh.
Since 2000, Kevin Colbert has steered the Steelers draft process that has culminated in three Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl victories. As a result, Colbert, the Steelers Vice-President and General Manager, recently signed a contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2021 NFL draft. If you missed the announcement, you can read it here, from the official website of the Steelers: Kevin Colbert
While Colbert has presided over some questionable drafts that resulted in bringing questionable players to the Steelers, he has also presided over some stellar drafts that have brought superb players to the organization.
The reality is this: No organization will ‘hit’ on every draft pick in every draft, but the expectation in a seven-round draft, for example, is that you ‘hit’ on the players you draft in the first three or four rounds. Not only have we ‘hit’ on players drafted in the first few rounds, but we have also ‘hit’ on players drafted in the later rounds.
I think the fact that Colbert has been the General Manager for such a long period of time has afforded the Steelers a sense of stability that most teams would covet. Again, not every draft has produced quality players, but I think it’s fair to say that the drafts under Colbert have been in the range of really good to outstanding.
As we progress through our discussion of the top 5 best picks during the Colbert era, keep in mind that the players about whom will be the topic of conversation are players whom I believe are the top 5 best picks, so, obviously, it is my opinion.
With that in mind, let’s get started with the fifth-best draft pick of the Kevin Colbert era.